Match Feed

Q4 28:05

The siren has sounded to end Q4.

Q4 28:05

I don't have enough characters to mention all the Bulldogs players who played well. But the Bulldogs were all over a spiritless Essendon today, and the 87 point margin does not even reflect their dominance across the ground.

Q4 28:05

Every Bulldog chipped in. Hunter had 37 disposals, Crameri outscored the Bombers with seven goals, Stringer went close as well with four goals and Johannisen had a handy game with 26 disposals and a goal.

Q4 28:05

Gwilt worked hard in the backline, Merrett picked up 31 disposals, Heppell kept on trying and Stanton was okay with 34 diposals. That's about it for the Bombers.

Q4 26:01

BEHINDBombers (Rushed)

Q4 24:24

The Bulldogs are giving the Bombers an absolute rinsing here. They have looked a class above. They have won the clearances by 10, the contested possessions by 20, uncontested possessions by 33, one percenters by 16 and inside 50s by 21.

Q4 24:12

GOALBulldogs (Caleb Daniel)

Q4 22:34

The Bulldogs kick their tenth goal from a turnover today. The Bombers have kicked two.

Q4 22:16

GOALBulldogs (Caleb Daniel)

Q4 19:11

GOALBulldogs (Stewart Crameri)

Q4 18:24

BEHINDBombers (Jake Melksham)

Q4 18:19

Essendon are staring down their lowest score of the season, which currently sits at 52 points. Their current score is the fifth lowest score of the season.

Q4 13:23

BEHINDBulldogs (Jason Johannisen)

Q4 11:39

GOALBulldogs (Tory Dickson)

Q4 10:42

The Bombers have had 34 inside 50s for 5 goals today, at a conversion rate of just 15 per cent. That is far below their season average of 21.8 per cent, which is the second worst in the comp.

Q4 08:48

Western Bulldogs InterchangeBailey Dale was substituted into the game for Matthew Boyd.

Q4 07:44

BEHINDBombers (Patrick Ambrose)

Q4 02:44

BEHINDBulldogs (Lachie Hunter)

Q4 02:18

The Bombers start well in restoring a veneer of respectability to this performance by kicking the first goal, and Daniher kicks his first of the match.

Q4 00:48

GOALBombers (Joe Daniher)

Q4 00:00

Q4 is now underway.

Q3 31:19

The siren has sounded to end Q3.

Q3 31:19

Ugly quarter for the Bombers, as the Bulldogs slammed on seven goals to two. Zach Merrett was busy for the Bombers, picking up 12 disposals, but Crameri was the dominant player on the park with 3.1 for the quarter.

Q3 30:15

Essendon InterchangeJonathan Giles off due to an injury.

Q3 29:28

BEHINDBombers (Cale Hooker)

Q3 26:37

GOALBulldogs (Jake Stringer)

Q3 26:37

Make that five in the last seven minutes! Getting ugly at Etihad...

Q3 25:12

GOALBulldogs (Jason Johannisen)

Q3 25:12

The Bulldogs have looked brilliant in this quarter, and the Bombers have looked shocking. The Bulldogs have kicked four goals in the last six minutes of play.

Q3 22:21

Straighter kicking by the Bulldogs this quarter has blown the game apart. This could get ugly for the Bombers here. They're 59 points down now and 20 points down for the quarter.

Q3 22:11

GOALBulldogs (Tory Dickson)

Q3 20:16

GOALBulldogs (Stewart Crameri)

Q3 20:13

Consecutive Crameri goals gives him a personal best six goals.

Q3 18:53

GOALBulldogs (Stewart Crameri)

Q3 18:53

A Zach Merrett snap gives the Bombers consecutive goals for the first time in the match, but the Bulldogs have an immediate reply with Crameri kicking his fifth for the match.

Q3 17:20

GOALBombers (Zach Merrett)

Q3 15:25

A quick transition from the Bombers, and they have their third goal for the game. They have scored 2.4 (16) from chains starting in their defensive 50 today.

Q3 15:14

GOALBombers (Cale Hooker)

Q3 11:47

GOALBulldogs (Tory Dickson)

Q3 11:47

The Bomber's defense is keeping this from being an even bigger blowout than it already is. They have taken 10 intercept marks in the defensive 50 today.

Q3 09:39

BEHINDBulldogs (Jack Redpath)

Q3 08:18

BEHINDBulldogs (Rushed)

Q3 07:57

Essendon InterchangeJackson Merrett was substituted into the game for Alex Browne.

Q3 07:55

The Bombers are giving the Bulldogs a lesson on how not to score goals here. They have had five inside 50s in a row, and got the ball to the top of the goal square each time, but failed to even look like kicking a goal.

Q3 07:23

BEHINDBombers (Adam Cooney)

Q3 02:25

GOALBulldogs (Stewart Crameri)

Q3 02:23

This quarter has started like the last one entered, with the Bulldogs all over the Bombers. The Bulldogs have had the first three inside 50s of the quarter, and kicked the first goal. They are up in contested possessions 10 to 3 already.

Q3 01:27

BEHINDBulldogs (Stewart Crameri)

Q3 00:00

Q3 is now underway.

Q2 31:32

The siren has sounded to end Q2.

Q2 31:26

BEHINDBulldogs (Jack Redpath)

Q2 31:26

The Bulldogs broke the game apart that quarter as the Bombers wilted under the pressure. Just five inside 50s, from which they were good to manage two goals, was an equal season low for the Bombers. The Bulldogs had 19, their fourth most for the season.

Q2 29:06

GOALBombers (Kyle Langford)

Q2 29:06

A nice passage of play from the Bombers (just their second transition from the defensive 50 to the forward 50 for the quarter) leads to their second goal for the game.

Q2 27:02

GOALBulldogs (Jake Stringer)

Q2 27:02

This could get ugly for the Bombers. They are looking devoid of spirit out there and the Bulldogs are running all over them. 90 disposals to 51 this quarter, and 17 inside 50s to four.

Q2 23:42

GOALBulldogs (Jake Stringer)

Q2 23:35

The Bulldogs have had 11 of the last 13 scoring shots. The Bombers have only gone inside three times this quarter, and are on the brink of setting a new low for inside 50s in a quarter for this season. The current low is four.

Q2 22:09

Some inaccuracy from the Bulldogs is the only thing keeping the Bombers in this game so far. The Bulldogs have kicked 5.5 (35) this quarter.

Q2 21:54

BEHINDBulldogs (Robert Murphy)

Q2 19:54

GOALBulldogs (Jake Stringer)

Q2 16:47

GOALBombers (Brent Stanton)

Q2 16:47

I should have known that that last comment would bring about a Bombers goal. Stanton puts the first on the board for the Bombers to go with his 17 disposals.

Q2 16:16

BEHINDBombers (Rushed)

Q2 15:32

Exactly on the half way mark of the quarter, the Bombers finally get inside their forward fifty. They are currently staring down the barrel of their second goalless half of the year.

Q2 13:37

BEHINDBulldogs (Jake Stringer)

Q2 12:03

BEHINDBulldogs (Liam Picken)

Q2 10:21

GOALBulldogs (Tory Dickson)

Q2 10:02

BEHINDBulldogs (Stewart Crameri)

Q2 10:02

Crameri is looking dangerous today. He has taken three marks inside 50 this quarter, kicking two goals and three for the game.

Q2 08:39

The Bulldogs are dominating both the contested and uncontested game today, up in contested possessions 46 to 36 and uncontested possessions 111 to 88.

Q2 08:31

GOALBulldogs (Stewart Crameri)

Q2 06:46

GOALBulldogs (Stewart Crameri)

Q2 06:28

The Bulldogs have had all the play this quarter, with four inside 50s while the Bombers are yet to enter their forward 50.

Q2 05:17

BEHINDBulldogs (Jarrad Grant)

Q2 02:32

GOALBulldogs (Mitch Wallis)

Q2 00:00

Q2 is now underway.

Q1 23:23

The siren has sounded to end Q1.

Q1 23:23

Stanton was everywhere for the Bombers, picking up 13 disposals and 7 kicks at 100 per cent efficiency and four contested possessions. Johannisen was busy for the Bulldogs with 10 disposals and 9 kicks.

Q1 23:23

The Bombers had the better of general play that quarter, and used the ball well by foot (82 per cent kicking efficiency), but did not have an effective kick inside their forward 50. The Bulldogs were only slightly better and kicked the only goal.

Q1 22:37

BEHINDBombers (Michael Hibberd)

Q1 20:42

BEHINDBulldogs (Jake Stringer)

Q1 16:13

BEHINDBulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)

Q1 12:31

BEHINDBombers (Cale Hooker)

Q1 11:31

The Bulldogs make the Bombers pay for wasting their opportunities. The Bulldogs have had four inside 50s and kicked 1.0 (6), while the Bombers have had seven inside 50s but kicked just 0.2 (2).

Q1 10:29

GOALBulldogs (Stewart Crameri)

Q1 08:25

Brent Stanton has been busy early, picking up seven disposals already, including four kicks at 100 per cent efficiency and three contested possessions.

Q1 05:52

BEHINDBombers (Joe Daniher)

Q1 03:45

BEHINDBombers (Rushed)

Q1 03:36

The Bombers have been making all the play early, with 14 of the first 15 effective kicks of the game. They have had possession for 73 per cent of the match so far and taken 10 marks to one.

Q1 00:00

Q1 is now underway.

Q0 00:00

Cale Hooker has recorded 18 shots at goal over the past month, ranked fourth in the competition. He has kicked seven goals in this period.

Q0 00:00

Marcus Bontempelli has recorded 69 inside 50s this season, ranked No.1 at the club and 12th in the AFL.

Q0 00:00

The Bulldogs have averaged 54 inside 50s per game this season, ranked fourth in the competition.

Q0 00:00

The Bombers have taken 16 intercept marks per game this season, ranked second in the competition, and conceded a mark from 19 per cent of their opposition???s kicks into the forward 50, ranked third.

Q0 00:-20

Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection. Tippers choice is currently Bombers 13.2% and Bulldogs 86.8%.

Related

THE WESTERN Bulldogs have cashed in against a listless Essendon, boosting their percentage ahead of finals and sending the Bombers plummeting to new depths with an 87-point win at Etihad Stadium.

In one of the Bombers' most dispiriting performances under coach James Hird, they conceded 18 goals in the last three quarters to lose 19.13 (127) to 5.10 (40) and falling into the bottom four on the ladder.

Hird's team could only muster two goals in the first half on their way to an eighth loss in nine games, with supporters filing out of the home game from late in the third quarter.

Once the fast and efficient Bulldogs broke the game open in the opening minutes of the second quarter the result was a foregone conclusion, with the extent of the damage the only question remaining.

It was an important question too, with the Bulldogs jumping to fifth spot on the ladder thanks to their percentage boost, passing Richmond and North Melbourne to sit just one game behind the fourth-placed Sydney Swans.

Former Bomber Stewart Crameri enjoyed a day out against his old club, booting a career-high seven goals and providing constant pressure in the forward line, creating turnovers.

Lacking confidence and direction with their ball-movement, the Bombers set out to stifle the Bulldogs in the first quarter, forcing the lowest scoring first term of the season, with a combined 1.6 scored.

The quarter went for just 23 minutes and 23 seconds and was the shortest recorded by Champion Data since 1999.

It was a relief when the siren sounded, allowing at least the Bulldogs to reset and emerge with a game-breaking plan that saw them kick four goals in 10 minutes after quarter time.